Seasoning of timber

Seasoning of timber
Meaning of seasoning: When a tree is newly felled, it contains
about 50 per cent or more of its own dry weight as water. This
water is in the form of sap and moisture. The water is to be
removed before the timber can be used for any engineering
purpose. In other words, the timber is to be dried.
This process of drying of timber is known as the seasoning of
timber and the moisture should be extracted during seasoning
under controlled conditions as nearly as possible at a uniform rate
from all parts of the timber.
It should also be seen during seasoning that the remaining
moisture, which cannot be extracted is uniformly distributed
throughout the mass. If the drying is irregular, the shrinkage of
timber will also be the irregular and it will set up internal stresses
between the fibres. The timber warps and the shakes are formed

Objects of seasoning: The seasoning of timber is carried the

following objects:
(i) allow timber to burn readily, if used as fuel.
lii) To decrease the weight of timber and thereby to lower the cost
of and handling.
(iii) To impart hardness, stiffness, strength and better electrical
resistance to timber

(iv) To increase the resisting power of timber, as most of the

causes of decay of timber are more or less related to the
moisture.
(v) To maintain the shape and size of the components of the
timber which are expected to remain unchanged in form.
(vi) To make timber easily workable and to facilitate operations
during conversion
(vii) To make timber fit for receiving treatment of paints,
preservatives, varnishes,
(viii) To make timber safe from the attack of fungi and insects.
(ix) To make timber suitable for gluing i.e. effectively joining two
members of timber with the aid of glue.
(x) To reduce the tendency of timber to crack, shrink and warp.

Methods of seasoning: The methods of seasoning can broadly be

divided
into the following two categories:
(i) Natural seasoning
(ii) Artificial seasoning.

(i) Natural seasoning: In this method, the seasoning of timber is

carried out

by natural air and hence it is also sometimes referred to as air

seasoning.
Following procedure is adopted in the air seasoning:
The timber in log form is not usually fit for the process of
seasoning, hence it is cut and sawn into suitable sections of
planks or scant lines
Artificial seasoning: Following are the reasons for adopting the
artificial
seasoning to the natural seasoning:
(a) The defects such as shrinkage, cracking and warping are
minimized
(b) The drying is controlled and there are practically no chances
for the
attack of fungi and insects.
(c) The drying of different surfaces is even and uniform.
(d) It considerably reduces the period of seasoning.
(e) There is better control of circulation of air, humidity and
temperature.
(f) The wood becomes more suitable for painting, gluing, etc.
(g) The wood with desired moisture content may be obtained
by the artificial seasoning.
The various methods of artificial seasoning are as follows:
(a) Boiling
(d) Kiln seasoning

(b) Chemical seasoning

(e) Water seasoning.
(c) Electrical seasoning